Artificial hand



H. J. LACAIRE. ARTIFICIAL HAND. APPLICATION FILED MAYZZ'. 1919-- Patented N (W: 18, 1919.

UNITED srarns Pnrnivrornion.

HENRY :r. LACAIRE, or srnnonn, MASSACHUSETTS;

ARTIFICIAL HAND.

Application filed May 22, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY J. LAOAIRE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Spencer, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Artificial Hand, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a device for attaching a hammer, saw, or other tool or article to a person who has suffered the loss of a material portion of a handor even the loss of an entire hand.

It is the object of my invention to provide a device by which a tool or other article may be readily attached and detached and by which it will be very firmly held when thus attached. A further object is to provide means to prevent angular as well as longitudinal displacement of the parts. With these and other objects in view, my invention comprises certain arrangements and combinations of parts that will be here inafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

A preferred form of my invention is shown in the drawings in whioh- Figure 1 shows the device in use 1- Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view, taken along the line 22 in Fig. 1

Fig. 8 is the rear elevation of the device Fig. 4 is an end elevation thereof Fig. 5 shows a portion of the device fixed to a saw handle, and

Fig. 6 shows a modified method of holding the device in position.

In Figs. 1 to 4: I have shown my improved artificial hand as comprising a glove-like pocket which may be firmly fastened by straps to a mutilated hand. In this form the device com rises front and back layers 10 and 11 of 1e ther or other suitable material and is provided with an opening 12 for the thumb. Straps 13 and 14 constitute means for securing the glove or pocket in position.

A metallic tubular member 15, preferably of non-circular cross section, is secured to the front side 10 of the pocket in any convenient manner, as by rivets 16. The member 15 is also provided with a notch near one end for a purpose to be described.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 18, 1919.

Serial No. 299,070.

The tool or other article to be held in the member 15 is shaped to fit within said member and is preferably provided with a recess 18 in which a latch 19 is secured. The latch 19 is provided with a stop 20 at one end and with a hook 21 at the opposite end, the i11- termediate portion of the latch being of thin resilient material.

When the parts are assembled the stop 20 engages one end of the member 15 and limits relative movement thereof in one direction, while the hook 21 enters the notch 17 and prevents movement in the opposite direction. These latter parts also cooperate to prevent relative angular movement.

By the construction described the tool or other article may be readily attached to the person and may be as readily detached when desired by depressing the hook 21 and withdrawing the article.

In' Fig. 5 I have indicated the manner in which a saw may be held in this device by securing an attaching portion 22 to the handle 23.

Many of the advantages of my invention may be utilized where the glove or pocket attachment cannot be used. In Fig. 6 I have shown the tubular member 15 secured directly to a part 2 1 which may represent the end of an artificial arm or other similar construction.

Having thus described my invention, it will be evident that changes and modifications can be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as set forth in the claims, and I do not wish to be otherwise limited to the details herein disclosed but what I claim is 1. An artificial hand comprising a glovelike casing, means to firmly secure said casing to the hand of the wearer, a metal holding tube rigidly secured to said glove-like casing and transversely disposed in the palm of the wearer, a cooperating holding member rigidly fixed to the tool to be held, and means to prevent relative angular movement of said tube and tool and to detachably secure said member in said tube with the tool supported in substantially normal operative position,

2. An artificial hand comprising a glovelike casing, means to firmly secure said casing to the hand of the Wearer, a metal holding tube of non-circular cross section rigidly secured to said glove-like casing and transversely disposed in the palm of the wearer, a cooperating member having a similar noncircular cross section and rigidly fixed to the tool to be held, and means to detachably secure said member in said tube with the tool supported in substantially normal operative position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

HENRY J. LACAIRE. 

